Tuberous Begonia

Helpful Tips for Growing Tuberous Begonia

While there are different types of begonias, the tuberous Begonia is one of the most popular all over the world. This particular plant is often grown in greenhouses, as well as used as bedding or standalone flowers. While you will find this type of Begonia grown all over, it is most popular in England. The flowers are simply beautiful and while only a few varieties exist, they are the perfect addition to any home.

Many flowers of the tuberous Begonia have flowers growing to about one-half inch in size but other varieties are much larger. You will also find that depending on variety, the flowers could be single or double, have different colored edges, some are scented and best of all, and the flowers come in a wide range of colors with the exception of blue. In addition, the tuberous Begonia can be grown as an upright plant or used in hanging baskets.

The reason for the name “tuberous Begonia” is that the plant grows from tubers. For a short amount of time in the fall and winter, the plants become dormant but then come spring, they come back to life. While the semi-tuberous Begonia is related to the tuberous Begonia, the difference is that there is no tuber. Instead, the plants grow from the base caudex, which is a stem that is quite large producing smaller stems.

Growing the tuberous Begonia is very easy because they adapt to soils of all kinds. Even with this advantage, you want to remember that any soil must be able to drain properly. For this reason, experts suggest when growing a tuberous Begonia that you choose high quality potting soil, which is a perfect balance of humus, loam sand, and mulch. Now, as you shop for potting soil, you will find some that do not contain humus but this is an important ingredient.

Another tip for the tuberous Begonia is that when using starter plants, make sure you see a new sprout before the plant goes into the ground or soil. This type of plant grows slowly so if a sprout does not appear you could place the plant in a dark, warm area that would encourage sprouting. Then once you plant the tuber, it needs to be complete covered, roots and all.

For watering the tuberous Begonia, you want to make sure the soil is wet but not soaked. In other words, you want the soil or potting soil to be moist uniformly. If you were to water too much, the roots and plant would become soggy and likely die. The tuberous Begonia also needs to be grown in temperatures from 60 to 70 degrees where it will get filtered sunlight. With this, you will end up with a healthy plant that produces gorgeous blooms.